1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a photosensitive cartridge attachable to/detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus, a developing cartridge attachable to/detachable from the photosensitive cartridge, a process cartridge, and the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus is for forming an image on a recording medium. Examples of the image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (a light-emitting diode (LED) printer, a laser beam printer, or the like), an electrophotographic facsimile machine, and an electrophotographic word processor.
The photosensitive cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and is removably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The developing cartridge includes a developing unit that develops a latent image formed on the photosensitive member, and is removably attached to the photosensitive cartridge. The process cartridge is the one in which the developing cartridge is removably attached to the photosensitive cartridge.
The recording medium on which an image is formed is, for example, a recording sheet or an overhead projector (OHP) sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the image forming apparatus has employed a process cartridge method in which an image bearing member serving as an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a process unit which operates on the image bearing member are integrated to be attachable to/detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Since the process cartridge method enables a user to perform maintenance of the image forming apparatus by himself, operability can be improved.
The process unit which operates on the image bearing member includes a charging member, a cleaning member, and a developer bearing member (hereinafter, referred to as a “developing roller”). A process cartridge configured by integrating all of the image bearing member, the process unit, and a developer storage unit is referred to as an all-in-one method. There is also a method in which the image bearing member and the process unit are divided into a plurality of cartridges. As an example of such a method in which the image bearing member and the process unit are divided into a plurality of cartridges, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-50494 discusses a method in which a cartridge is divided into a photosensitive cartridge integrating an image bearing member, a charging member, and a cleaning member and a developing cartridge integrating a developer bearing member and a developer storage unit. Among such configurations, there is a configuration in which the developing cartridge is attachable to/detachable from the photosensitive cartridge.
An example of attachment to/detachment from the image forming apparatus in the configuration in which the developing cartridge is attachable to/detachable from the photosensitive cartridge will be described. In a detached state from the image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge is attached to the photosensitive cartridge, and then attached to the mage forming apparatus in an integrated state. When the photosensitive cartridge or the developing cartridge reaches its life, the user takes out the process cartridge in which the photosensitive cartridge and the developing cartridge are in the integrated state. Then, the user replaces the cartridge that has reached its life with a new cartridge, and integrates the photosensitive cartridge and the developing cartridge again to attach them to the image forming apparatus.
When the user handles the process cartridge which is in the detached state from the image forming apparatus, the developing cartridge may fall off from the photosensitive cartridge. Thus, a locking member is provided to the photosensitive cartridge, and the developing cartridge is locked by the locking member to be prevented from falling off.
However, in a case where the locking member is provided to the photosensitive cartridge, the number of components increases, and costs consequently increase. The present invention is directed to a technique for providing the locking member having a function of electrically connecting an apparatus main body and a cartridge to reduce the number of components.